International Booker Prize 2020 shortlist announced

The judges of the International Booker Prize 2020 have digitally announced the six shortlisted titles for this year’s prize. The selection is made from the 13 books that were longlisted in February earlier this year.

Each shortlisted author and translator will receive a £1,000 prize money. The winner is entitled to a £50,000 prize.

International Booker Prize 2020 shortlist

The selected books, in no particular order, are:

Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor

“Hurricane Season” takes place in a world filled with mythology and violence. It was first published in 2017 in Spanish. Sophie Hughes is the translator.

The Adventures of China Iron by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara

“The Adventures of China Iron” is set in Argentina. It is a humorous novel high on criticism. The narrative moves through the Argentinian landscape. It was first published in 2017 in Spanish. Iona Macintyre and Fiona Mackintosh are the translators.

The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld

“The Discomfort of Evening” is the debut novel of the poetess and is already a bestseller in Netherlands. It was first published in 2018 in Dutch. Michele Hutchison is the translator.

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar

“The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree” is set in Iran. With the help of magical realism, the story follows a thirteen-year-old in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. It was first published in 2017 in Farsi and was shortlisted for The Stella Prize 2018. Adrien Kijek is the translator.

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

“The Memory Police” is a haunting novel depicting the terrors of state surveillance. It is a fable about the power of memory and the trauma of loss. It was first published in 1994 in Japanese and was a finalist of the National Book Award for Translated Literature 2019. Stephen Snyder is the translator.